James mcgtjigan



(No Model.)

J. MOG'UIGAN.

BUTTON HOLE FINISHING 1 001.. No. 251,451. Patented Dc. Z7,1'881..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MGGUIGAN, OF nAsr NEW YORK, n. Y.

BUTTON-HOLE-FINISHING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 251,451, dated December 27, 1881.

I Application filed October 17,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

.Be itknown that 1, JAMEs MGGUIGAN, of East New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Button-Hole-Finishing Tools, of which the following is a specification.

Sewing-machines are extensively used for working button-holes on shoes. A cord is passed around the button-hole and retained by the interlocked stitches that pass over-the edges of the button-hole. The ends of the threads are loose at the inner end of the button-hole, and pass from one button-hole to the next. It is usual to out these threads and then insert a hook like a crotchet-needle in between the leather and the lining, and pass it out at the innerend ofthe button-hole and catchthethreads and draw them in between the two thicknesses, so that said threads are not visible. This, of course, is done before the sole is applied to the uppers. The needle-hook employed for drawing in the threads is liable to injure theleather or lining. It has to be held in the hand, and

difficulty arises in placing the threads in the hook ofthe needle and in drawing them tightly at the end of the button-hole.

My invention is made for enabling the operator to handle the shoe-upper more easily, for preventing injuryto the material at the base of the button-hole, and for drawing the threads more easily and tightly into the space between the materials in which the button-holes are worked.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the inside of a portion of a shoe-upper, representing the button-holes as worked and the surplus thread at some of the button-holes pulled in. Fig. 2 is a plan view, representing my finishingtools as in use; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the needle and its holding-stock.

The stock a is upon a curved arm, I), that is screwed firmly upon a table, and into asocket at the end of the stock a is received the shank of the eye-pointed needle (I. The eye 0 of this needle is long and large, so that a fiat hook, 0, can be passed through said eye. This hook e is preferably provided with a handle, f. The stock is fastened to the table with the needle pointing away from the operator, and the said operator takes the shoe-upper h t in his hands and cuts the threads 2 3, that extend loosely from one button-hole l to the next.

A convenient device for cutting such threads is the knife m, the shank of which is screwed to the curved arm I), and the end of such knife is hooked and terminates as a knob, so as to prevent injury to the person or to the shoe-uppers. The needle d is passed in between the thicknesses h and t, and out at the inner end, 4, of the button-hole. The threads 2 and 3 at the inner end of that hole are then bunched or slightly twisted together and passed through the eye a, and to aid in this operation the hook 0 may be employed, the same being passed through the eye 0,- but I do not limit myself in this particular, as the threads may be laid into the eye by hand, or the eye may be made with aspring-barb, similar to a needle in a knitting-machine. After the threads are laid through the eye of the needle the shoe-uppers are pressed ofi' said needle, and in so doing the threads are drawn in between the two thicknesses h and i of the uppers, and the operator, having both hands at liberty in' doing this work, is able to hold onto the ends of the threads, so as to apply the necessary tension for drawing them up tightly at the inner end of the button-hole, which cannot be as easily or reliably done when using the ordinary hook, that has to be held in one hand while the uppers are moved by the other hand.

I claim as my'invention l. Thecombination,with the eye-pointed needle d, of the stock a and curved arm I), fastened to a table or support, and adapted to retain the eye-pointed needle in a fixed position while employed in drawing in the button-hole threads, substantially as set forth.

2. The button-hole-finishing tool composed of the eye-pointed needle (1, stock a, curved arm I), and cutter m, substantially as set forth.

3. The button-hole-finishing tool composed of the eye-pointed needle 6?, stock a, and curved arm I), for use in connection with the hook e, which is adapted to be passed through the eye of the needle for drawing the threads into the eye, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 8th day of October, 1881.

JAMES MOGUIGAN.

Witnesses:

HAROLD SERRELL, WILLIAM G. Mom. 

